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Download the 2006 Submission Form:

2006 LIFI /Panamax Latino Screenwriters Lab Submission
October 5-15, 2006
2006 LALIFF Submissions | July 17, 2006

WELCOME TO THE LATINO FILM INSTITUTE:

Latino International Film Institute (LIFI). Its mission is to mentor, develop and support Latino filmmakers with independent and diverse visions in the United States and internationally; to provide an outlet and distribution opportunities for the content created and acquired to the non-theatrical and commercial world. To support the development and further education of school children from elementary to junior college in the United States via the audio visual arts. In turn continue to elevate standards of Latino audio visual story development and presentation of our culture; and to preserve our cultural history in the most impactful medium of the world today, the audio visual.

ABOUT US:

The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF) is dedicated to presenting the best Latino films made in the US, Spain, the Caribbean, and Latin America. LALIFF is spearheaded by co-founders Marlene L. Dermer, Executive Director and Programmer, and Edward James Olmos, the acclaimed actor, director, and community activist.

The Festival was launched in 1997, growing from 42 films and an overall attendance of 5,000 people, to last year’s Festival with 15,000 attendees viewing 130 films (features, documentaries, and shorts), attending 10 panels, many workshops, with major corporate sponsorships from nationally recognized organizations.

Additionally, the Festival presents the popular Writers Workshop, which presents the Desi Arnaz scholarship and a Latino Screenwriter’s Lab. The 2006 festival is slated for October 5-15, 2006.

LALIFF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to support and promote the development and exhibition of independent and diverse visions by Latino filmmakers. In the process, LALIFF promotes awareness of the richness and diversity of Latin cultures, its artistry and countries through film, the most powerful medium in the world. LALIFF seeks to foster cultural harmony while serving as a springboard and catalyst for the promotion and distribution of Latino film.

BACKGROUND:

The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival was founded in 1996, when the City of Los Angeles first looked into the possibility of having an official Latino film festival that catered to the cultural needs of its rapidly growing Latino community.

The Festival was created by a group of visionaries led by Marlene Dermer, an independent producer with knowledge of Latin film and programming, George Hernandez, an independent film and music producer, and actor, director, producer and social activist Edward James Olmos.

The Festival started small, a part of the 1997 Latino Heritage Month, showing 42 films during five days. It soon developed its own identity, and with the constant support of film studios and sponsors, it grew quickly into a high-profile event with a strong presence in the Hollywood community.

In 2003, the seventh Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival showcased 147 films (features, documentaries, and shorts), offered panels, and workshops it included the first Latino Screenwriters Lab for Ibero-American participants, and a writers workshop for 26 participants, selected from among more than 300 applications from all over the US. The Festival had an overall attendance in excess of 27,500 in its record presentation of 16 days; LALIFF was the longest international film festival in the world.

In 2005, the eight Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival showcased 135 films (features, documentaries, shorts), offered panels, workshops, continued the Latino Screenwriters Lab for Iberoamerican participants and our youth program. In programming we presented a focus on Brazilian Cinema, an Art & Culture, Music, USA Showcase, a Latino Public Broadcasting showcase, Panorama and Official programming programs. We also presented a retrospective of the Ricardo Montalban the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. The festival was 10 days with an attendance in excess of 15,000.

Since its foundation in 1996, the Festival has created programs that were later picked up and held by other organizations in the community, such as the Writers WorkshopWriting Competition and Desi Arnaz Memorial Scholarship Award, first presented in in 2002 and the Latino Writers lab in 2003. The Festivals Youth Program is one of the best in its kind; and this year, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Science has recognized LALIFF as a qualifying festival for its awards in the Short Film category. This year also saw the establishment of the LALIFF Collection at the Academy Film Archive, open to the public, students and educators. These are important milestones.

In 2005 by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors of organizations founded by Edward James Olmos and Marlene Dermer to support, educate, showcase and distribute the richness and diversity of our Latino culture evolved into the first film institute dedicated to Latinos in the United States and internationally: Latino International Film Institute (LIFI).

LALIFF 2005 WINNERS

FEATURES
The Rita Award for Best Picture - Las Mantenidas Sin Suenos directed by Vera Fogwill and Martin Desalvo (Argentina)

Best Screenplay - Habana Blues written by Benito Zambrano and Ernesto Chao (Spain/Cuba/France)
and

LALIFF SUBMISSIONS:

Submissions are no longer accepted, please feel free to submit your project(s) next year.

Con mucho gusto,

LALIFF

LALIFF PSAs

Click on any of the thumbnails below to view a public service announcement featuring today’s most prominent Latino celebrities.

Edward James Olmos
Co-Founder of LALIFF

Tito Ortiz & Mario Lopez
Ultimate Fighter & ESPN

Judy Reyes
Scrubs